Determination of Sucrose Recovery Maximization in Nzoia Sugar Factory, Kenya
##article.abstract##
Sucrose recovery is one of the main goals of a sugar factory. The factory aims at maximizing sucrose recovery at every step including; juice extraction, flocculation, liming, clarification, juice filtration crystallization and centrifugation. Despite the efforts to minimize sugar losses during processing, these losses still occur resulting in financial losses to the sugar milling factory. Currently, the factory has an overall recovery of 81% and an actual recovery of 68.05% with a sugar production of 250 tonnes. This is below the 300 tonnes target per day. Boiling house recovery (BHR) is 77.46% which is below the target of 90%. The main objective of the study was to determine sucrose recovery maximization. Bagasse and filter cake polarity and the final molasses purity were determined. The results were compared to set specifications to establish the extent to which sucrose is recovered from sugar processing. In mud filtration, the average filter cake pol percentage was 3.6 % while in the c-sugar centrifugation stage the mean final molasses purity was 37.5. Mud filtration and c-massecuite curing were the two main stages in which major sugar losses occurred exceeding pol% and purity of 3.0 and 36, respectively due to inefficient process. Nzoia sugar factory did not maximize sucrose recovery therefore, it is recommended that critical stages of sugar loss be investigated. In addition, regular repair and replacement ofthe rotary vacuum screen should be done to minimize loss of sugar through scum. Efforts should be made to minimize sugar loss in the final molasses by employing skilled operators to man c-sugar centrifugation hence maximizing recovery.
References
Bennet, M.C (2009). Flocculation process in Sugar Manufacture. International Sugar Journal, pp 101-109.
Birkett, H.S. & Stein, J. (2008). ASI final molasses exhaustion test at Jeanerette Baton Rouge. Audubon Sugar Institute.
Decloux, M. (2000). Literature Survey on molasses exhaustion. Proc. SPRI. Porto, Portugal: 322- 376.
Doherty, W.O.S., Greenwood, J., Pilaski, D., & Wright, P.G. (2002). The Effect of Liming Conditions in Juice Clarification, Proc. Aust. Soc. Sugar Cane Technology, 24
Miller, K.F. (2007) Sucrose losses in low grade massecuite processing. proc. ISSCT, 24,366-367.
Mullin, J.W. & Butterworth, H. (Eds.) (2001). Crystallization. (4thed.). Elsevier science.
Fletcher, (2001) W.L., Kitching, S.M., Rajh, M., Reimann, R.H., Ahmed, F.E., Jensen, Schorn, Sucrose recovery in molasses ,C.R.
Fletcher, S. (2001). FS continuous vacuum pan. From http://www.fletchersmith.com. March, 2009.
Rein, P. W. (2007). A study of continuous low grade crystallizer performance.Proc. ISSCT.17, 2309-2327.
Salassi, M. E. (2008). Sugarcane production &processing economics. BE4342
Sugar Process Engineering. (2008) Spring Intersession. Baton Rouge, LA. :LSU Agricultural centre.
Saska, M. (2002). Optimization of low-grade crystallizer performance. International Sugar Journal, 92, 23-28.
Wikipedia.The Free Encyclopedia Crystallization.From htt//en.wikipedia.org. March 2009.
Kishihara S, Fujii S, Komoto M (1981). Ultrafiltration of cane juice, influence of flux and quality of permeate, International Sugar Journal 1; 83:35.
